There are many reasons to celebrate the beginning of autumn: beautiful foliage, kids back in school
(okay, not everyone finds that a reason to celebrate), and, last but not least, a bumper crop of juicy and delicious
apples.

Apples are a staple of dessert and breakfast, but if you ignore their possibilities in savory dishes, you’re also denying yourself the whole range of flavors these fruits impart. The sweet crunch of apples pairs beautifully with roasted pork, as most of us know.

Perhaps more unexpectedly, though, apples also taste great alongside kale and mustard in an autumn salad, and with a salmon plate spiked with fennel.

Whether you choose to include apples in a main dish or as part of a sweet treat to finish the meal, the fruit’s wide range of flavors and textures will give you plenty of options. And with more than 100 varieties widely available in the U.S., you’ll even be able to make the same recipe again and again with different apples each time.